On the stovetop: Add the garlic cloves and olive oil to a small saucepan, making sure that the olive oil covers the garlic cloves.
Cook over low heat until the garlic has softened and is tender enough so that a fork easily passes through it – this should take about 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool and set aside until needed.
In the oven: Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and pre-heat the oven to 300ºF (150ºC).
Add the garlic cloves and olive oil to a small oven-safe ramekin or cocotte, making sure that the olive oil covers the garlic cloves.
Bake at 300ºF (150ºC) for about 45 minutes or until the garlic has softened and is tender enough so that a fork easily passes through it. Allow to cool and set aside until needed.
Tip: You can make a larger quantity of garlic confit, if you wish. In that case, transfer it into a clean, sterilised jar as soon as it's cooled and store it in the fridge for up to two weeks. It's VERY important that you don't store garlic confit at room temperature – see the Notes section for more details.
Sun-dried tomato filling:
Add the softened garlic cloves from the garlic confit, the (drained) sun-dried tomatoes and 1 tablespoon (15g) of the garlicky olive oil from the garlic confit to the bowl of a food processor or the jug of a high-speed food blender.
Blend until smooth and spreadable, then add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until needed (you can store it in an air-tight container in the fridge if you're preparing it a few hours in advance).
Making the dough:
I recommend making the dough using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, but you can also make it by hand.
Make the psyllium gel: In a bowl, mix together the psyllium husk and lukewarm water. After about 30-45 seconds, a gel will form.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer (if using), whisk together the tapioca starch, millet flour, sorghum flour, sugar, instant yeast, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt.
Tip: If using active dry yeast instead, you need to activate it first. Mix it together with the sugar and 80g (⅓ cup) of the water listed in the recipe (note that that means you'll use less water to make the psyllium gel). Set aside for 5-10 minutes, or until the mixture starts frothing. Then, add it to the dry ingredients along with the rest of the wet ingredients.
Add the egg, egg yolk and olive oil to the psyllium gel and mix well to combine.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the psyllium gel-egg mixture.
Knead the dough until smooth and all the ingredients are evenly incorporated, then knead for a further 4-5 minutes (if using a stand mixer) or 6-8 minutes (if kneading it by hand). Use a rubber spatula to occasionally scrape along the sides and bottom of the bowl to prevent any dry patches of unmixed flour.
Tip: This extra kneading time will make the dough EXTRA smooth, which is the key to a beautiful gluten free twist bread.
The final dough will be sticky to the touch – that’s okay, you’ll be working on a lightly floured surface so it shouldn’t be a problem. Resist the temptation to add more flour to the dough, as that can make the final bread too dense and dry.
Tip: If you find the dough too sticky to easily handle (even on a floured surface and with floured hands), you can chill it in the fridge for about 1 hour before proceeding to the next step. This will make the dough firmer, less sticky, and therefore easier to handle.
Shaping the twist bread:
Line a 10-inch (25cm) skillet or round baking pan with parchment/baking paper and set aside until needed. (Alternatively, you can lightly grease it with olive oil.)
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball, then roll it out into a large 12×20-inch (30x50cm) rectangle.
Tip: I like to roll my dough fairly thin, this ensures a multitude of dough-filling layers for an extra delicious end result.
Dollop on the sun-dried tomato filling and, using a small offset spatula, spread it out into an even, fairly thin layer all the way to the edges.
Roll up the dough into a 20-inch (50cm) log and arrange it so that the seam faces down.
Use a lightly oiled, sharp serrated knife to cut the log lengthwise in half.
Tip: Oiling the knife ensures that the dough and filling won’t stick to it, resulting in a cleaner, neater cut.
Turn the two halves so that the cut sides face upwards, and then twist the two strands around each other. (See blog post for photos.)
Starting with one end, roll up the twisted braid into a big snail shape, and tuck the end underneath, to prevent it from unrolling during proofing and baking. (See blog post for photos.)
Carefully transfer it into the prepared skillet or round baking pan.
Proofing:
Lightly cover the skillet or baking pan with a sheet of plastic wrap/cling film (to prevent it from drying out) and proof in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.
Tip: If your kitchen is on the cold side, put a cup of boiling hot water into your (turned-off) oven – that will create the perfect warm, slightly humid proofing environment.
Baking the twist bread:
Adjust the oven rack to the lower middle position and preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
Once the twist bread has doubled in size, brush it gently with the egg wash.
Bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 30-35 minutes until the twist bread is golden brown on top.
I like to check the doneness by inserting a toothpick into the centre of the bread, much like you would with a cake: if your toothpick comes out with raw dough on it, the bread needs a bit longer in the oven.
Tip: If the twist bread starts browning too much or too quickly, you can cover it with a sheet of aluminium foil, shiny side up, and continue baking until done.
Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes, then serve warm. The bread is also delicious cooled completely to room temperature (it will still be perfectly soft and tender).
Storage:
This gluten free sun-dried tomato twist bread is definitely at its best fresh, on the day of baking, but it also keeps really well until the next day at room temperature in a closed container or well wrapped (to prevent it from drying out).
I recommend reheating it before serving, either in a microwave or in a 350ºF (180ºC) oven, just to return it to its original softness.
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